Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 18-21:7 (The Message)

First, Abraham. Some men come into Abrahams camp and he rushes around to feed them his best. They ask Abraham about his wife, Sarah. They tell him that she will have a baby. Sarah hears the men speaking in the tent and laughs. She can’t believe a woman at age 90 would be blessed with a child.

These men then go to Sodom to destroy the city. First Abraham tries to reckon with God. He can’t believe that God would destroy both good and evil people and he asks him to spare the city for 50 people and finally for only 10. God agrees that if there are 10 good people he will spare the city.

The men stay with Lot at his home and the men outside call out to them because they want to have sex with them. Lot offers the men his virgin daughters, but the men refuse them. God destroys the city after saving Lot and his family. Only his wife looks back and turns into a pillar of salt. (Just a note, Sodom and Gomorrah are located on the Dead Sea, named because of its exuburant salt content).

Next we get into some interesting stories about Lot’s daughters getting him drunk and having sex with him to get pregnant. Both daughters become pregnant and the sons are the ancestors to the Moabites and Ammonites.

Then there is a story about Abraham going south and once again telling everyone that Sarah is his sister. The king takes Sarah into his castle but does not sleep with her. That night the king has a dream which God reveals the truth about Sarah being Abrahams wife. He questions Abraham about this. Abraham reveals that Sarah is his half sister in reality, so it was not a total lie.

Finally, Sarah gives birth to Isaac which had been promised so many times. I can’t count the number of times I have yelled out and screamed at God because I didn’t get a quick fix. I wanted God to fix our financial problems NOW!!! Then I yell and scream and throw my fist into the air when nothing has changed the very next day.

How silly I must seem to God when I think of how he sees me in those moments. How amazing that God has given so many answers so quickly to me. I need to thank him for those quick answered prayers he has granted. Abraham and Sarah waited over 90 years to get the child they had been promised over and over and over again by God! They took matters into their own hands even and realized that was a mistake.

I would have laughed at the tent like Sarah did if I was in her shoes. I know there have been things I wanted so badly, and get angry at God when it seemed his promises were empty. God was telling me to wait. Sarah had to wait for that child. With God there is always Hope where is no Hope.

I don’t have any questions tonight, but perhaps you have a question or two about this passage. Please feel free to write them in the comments.